The main occasions for debating and exchanging knowledge, experiences, and new trends on these topics has been the International Symposia, held since 1969 on a biannual basis all over the world: Oslo (Norway) in 1969, Slanchev Bryag (Bulgaria) in 1971, Dortmund (Germany) in 1974 and 1977, Rouen (France) in 1980, Kyoto (Japan) in 1982, Igls (Austria) in 1985, Krakow (Poland) in 1987, Verona (Italy) in 1989, Sheffield (UK) in 1991, Melbourne (Australia) in 1994, Ledyard (USA) in 1995, Maijvik (Finland) in 1997, Wiesensteig (Germany) in 1999, Hayama (Japan) in 2001, Santos (Brazil) in 2003, Hoofddorp (The Netherlands) in 2005, Yeppoon (Australia) in 2007, Venice (Italy) in 2009, Stockholm (Sweden) in 2011.
The proceedings of these symposia were published in several books and scientific journals, dealing with Occupational Medicine, Public health, Stress and Psychosocial risk factors, Work Physiology, Work Psychology, Sociology, Work organisation and management, and have significantly contributed to improving working hour arrangements more respectful of human health and social well-being, as well as enhancing individual coping strategies and resources.
They also provided scientific basis for new directives and legislations issued on working time, such as, for example, the Night Work Convention no 171 and Recommendation no 178 concerning Night Work by the International Labour Office (ILO, 1990), and the European Parliament and Council Directives 1993/104/EC and 2003/88/EC “concerning certain aspects of the organisation of working time”, as well as many national laws and work contracts in several countries.
To date their have been more than 20 symposia all over the world. The first symposium in 1969 had about 30 participants, however by 2011 the symposium in Stockholm attracted 240 participants from 30 countries. For a more in depth look at the history of the Working Time Society and the symposia in particular, download the pdf file of the presentation given byGiovanni Costa, the WTS ex-President, in 2005.